Story – When Mithila Burns Nothing of Mine Burns – King Janaka

King Janaka is mentioned in numerous Hindu scriptures. Here
is a popular story associated with King Janaka. Disciples of the great Sage Yajnavalkya
felt that the sage was partial to Janaka. As two of them held continuous
discussion on philosophy.

Once, Yajnavalkya decided to demonstrate to his other
students the superior wisdom of King Janaka.

One day when Sage Yajnavalkya was holding a philosophical
discourse, a soldier brought the news that Mithila city was on fire. All the students
of Yajnavalkya rushed out to save their possessions.

King Janaka did not move and continued to listen to the
discourse.

The other students returned soon as the news was fake.

Sage Yajnavalkya asked King Janaka that the other students
ran to save their meager possessions; as king, he had expensive possessions to
save but he did not move from his spot.

The king answered – “When Mithila Burns Nothing of Mine
Burns”

The other students then realized that Janaka had transcended
his ego and the notions of “I” and “mine.”